Your Fall Home Readiness Checklist
As much as we may want to fool ourselves, the heat of the summer is leaving us and a touch of chill is in the air. This is a reminder that there are things to do to prepare our homes for colder weather. Sure, we’re not ready for that winter home checklist just yet, but there’s a lot to do in the fall to get things ready. This includes measures to prepare for hurricane season, and nasty fall storms that come along with it.
Both your plumbing and your heating can use some prepping to make sure your family stays warm and safe and that your home remains undamaged. Do you know what you need to do to get the job done? Use this fall home readiness checklist to help you out.
Fall Plumbing Maintenance Checklist
Use the following to get your plumbing ready for the end of hurricane season and the beginning of winter:
- Have your water heater professionally serviced.
- Drain and disconnect your hoses and sprinkler lines.
- Drain and shut off outside water faucets. Call a professional plumber if a shut-off valve hasn’t been installed or it isn’t working or sealing properly.
- Check and test your sump pump or have a professional do it on your behalf.
- Insulate any pipes in unheated areas.
Fall Heating Maintenance Checklist
Fall is the perfect time for servicing, repairing or even upgrading any portion of your home heating system. After all, you’ll have the job done before you’ll need the heat the most. At the same time, you’ll be preventing unnecessary and possibly expensive problems in the future.
- Have your heater checked, tuned up and serviced and have any necessary repairs done immediately.
- Install a programmable thermostat for comfort, convenience and savings.
- Upgrade an old or expensive heater to a new and more efficient model.
- Check your home – particularly windows and doors – for drafts and seal those you can. Lay weather stripping for the rest.
Extra Steps to Take to Prevent Fall Weather-Related Problems
Take these additional steps to keep your family safe from weather-related flooding, wind damage and even ice later in the season.
- Clean out all gutters, eves troughs and downspouts. Repair any leaks in these vital home features to avoid the formation of icicles and to ensure that water can’t travel where it shouldn’t.
- Clean out all window wells.
- Limb trees and shrubs located near your home, driveway, garage or other structures on your property.
- Check your home for any water leaks and repair them. Leaks don’t heal themselves and will only get much more problematic with time.
Ready to get started? Call 610-624-8037 and get in touch with your local experts at McLoughlin Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling. We’ll help you to check off all the professional elements on these checklists. Taking care of these items will help you to keep your family safe and warm, and your home free of preventable damage throughout the season.